Nuka's Redemption
by SaurusRock625
Summary: Upon his death in the gorge, Nuka is reborn as a human child with no memory of his past like. How will he cope in this new world?
1. Chapter 1

_**I hope you guys enjoy this particular story, because I had a heck of a time thinking of a good story plot for this one!**_

 _ *****I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh GX, or The Lion King!*****_

* * *

"Elemental HERO Neos!" = Normal Speech

" _Neo Spacian Flare Scarab!" = Thinking_

" **Neo Spacian Aqua Dolphin!" = Yelling**

 **"Neo Spacian Air Hummingbird" = Mufasa Speaking**

 _ **(Elemental HERO Flare Neos!) = Card Stats/ Life Points Remaining**_

* * *

 _ **Reincarnation of a Neglected Lion**_

* * *

On the border of the Outlands, Simba was running from Zira and her pride of Outlander lions. Well, more like one male lion and a bunch of lionesses, but that's beside the point. The point is, he needed to get away. And he may have just found his escape route.

Simba began to run up a dam of fallen logs that had formed in the gorge, forcing Zira and her followers to stop in their tracks. Her other son, Kovu, was standing on a cliff. The healthier male lion was trying to find a way to help the king of the Pridelands, but wasn't having much luck.

"NOW'S YOUR CHANCE, KOVU! GET HIM!" Zira commanded.

"I'LL DO IT!" declared a scrawny lion with an underdeveloped black mane named Nuka. "I'LL GET HIM! FOR YOU, MOTHER!"

Nuka began to rapidly climb the dam as he chased after Simba, laughing like a mad-lion. However, he slipped on a loose log, giving Simba a bit more time to gain some distance. But he recovered quickly, and was gaining on the much bigger lion.

"MOTHER, ARE YOU WATCHING?" Nuka asked. "I'm doing it for you, and I'm doing it for me!"

As Simba struggled to climb up a higher log, Nuka caught up and sunk his claws into one of his hind legs, making the older lion wince and growl in pain. Something that Nuka took great pride in.

"This is my moment of glory!" Nuka silently declared.

At first, it seemed like Nuka was really going to kill Simba. That he was going to bring honor, glory, and most of all, victory, to the Outlanders

But that's when it all went bad.

One of the longs that supported his foot snapped in half, causing the other log that supported his body to roll backwards.

"Oh no!" he cried.

He slipped under the log but it stopped on top of Nuka, pinning him beneath it.

" **NO!"** Zira cried.

Nuka tried to free himself, but as he looked up, another log rolled his way. All Nuka could do was duck as the log landed on top of him, followed by several more. As the dust cleared from the pile, we see that Simba had managed to escape relatively unharmed. With the conflict mostly over, Kovu raced to the pile. He tried to dig his brother out, but Zira shoved him out of the way. The elder lioness began to frantically move logs and broken wood out of the way, desperately searching for her son. She lifted another log, and found him.

Nuka broke into a small coughing fit as he struggled to breathe, but he knew his time was short. Something that a sorrowful Zira could see as clear as day.

"Nuka…"

Coughing a few more times, the male lion weakly opened his eyes and rasped out his last words.

"Forgive me, mother… I tried…"

Zira just shushed her son, putting a paw under his chin in a motherly fashion. She silently hoped that this was just a bad dream, but as Nuka closed his eyes and ceased breathing, she knew only one thing.

Nuka, her firstborn son, had died.

She slowly removed her paw from under his chin, and struggled to hold back her tears. Her daughter came up, and gasped at the sight of her brother.

"Nuka…!" gasped a mournful Vitani

As Zira began to mourn, her daughter tried her best to comfort her.

"Scar, watch over our Nuka from up there." Zira prayed.

What she failed to realize was that her prayers would be answered another way.

* * *

 _ *****In Limbo…*****_

* * *

When Nuka opened his eyes, he expected to see the burning gates of the UnderWorld. He was by no means a fool. He knew that he had sinned much in life, and was going straight to where the tyrants of the past go when they die. Oh well, at least he'd have a chance to see his father again and give him a piece of his mind.

But instead of seeing the black, burning pits of hell, he was in a place where there was nothing but white space as far as the eye can see.

"Where? Where am I?" Nuka asked himself. "This isn't the dark place."

 **"No, it isn't, Nuka."**

The son of Scar looked behind himself and gasped in shock.

Standing there was a huge lion with golden fur and a red mane that was almost identical to Simba's, but there were key differences between this guy and Simba. For one thing, his fur and mane were a darker shade than those of Simba, and his voice was also much deeper and more masculine. And yet, from what Nuka heard, his voice was also laced with kindness.

This lead Nuka to one possible conclusion.

"What the…? Are you…?"

 **"Yes, Nuka. I am your uncle."** the lion replied with a kind smile.

"Mufasa…!" gasped Nuka. "But if you're here, then does that mean…"

 **"I'm sorry, my nephew, but I'm afraid that we are not where the great kings of the past go when they die."** replied a regretful Mufasa. **"We are in a plane of existence known as Limbo; the place between life and death."**

Nuka looked down in shame upon hearing this. It would seem as though he wasn't wanted in either afterlife. Seeing his nephew's downcast look, Mufasa decided to cut to the chase as to why he was here.

 **"Do not despair, my nephew. You are not meant to wander aimlessly through Limbo for all eternity. You are merely being prepared to embark on a great journey, Nuka. The journey known as rebirth."** Mufasa explained.

This made Nuka look up in shock.

"Rebirth? What do you mean?" Nuka asked.

Mufasa chuckled a bit upon hearing this response. It was only natural that Nuka would be confused. He was too when he first heard the concept of rebirth.

 **"What I mean, Nuka, is that you were selected to be reborn upon your death. The great kings of the past decided that you would be reborn into a human infant with no memory of your past life. You would then be adopted by a pair of humans whose child was stillborn, and raised with all of the love and care that Zira and Scar never gave you."** Mufasa explained.

Nuka stood there in shocked surprise. He was going to get a second chance at life, albeit not as a lion, but still, he'd live again! Not only that, but he would be loved by this new family instead of scorned and forgotten.

Things suddenly began to get darker as Nuka felt a pull on his being. His fear only intensified as he saw his uncle Mufasa slowly disappearing from view. But a reassuring look from the older lion calmed him down some.

 **"Don't be afraid, Nuka. Trust your instincts. Your spirit companions will be there for you when you need them. And so will I. Until the Pridelands end."**

And soon after that… everything. Went. Black.

* * *

 _ *****Nightfall: Domino City…*****_

* * *

In a modest home, Anna Yuki and her husband, Roy Yuki were mourning the loss of their only child. A child who didn't even have the chance to experience life. Anna was crying her eyes out as she thought about everything she'd never get to experience since her son died. His first steps, his first words, all the things she'd never get to experience since her baby boy died immediately after he left the womb.

Roy had his arms wrapped around his distraught wife, doing his best to comfort her. But he was also shedding tears of his own. And who can blame him? His own son died before he even had a chance to live!

"Jaden… my baby boy… why did you have to die!?" Anna sobbed. "It's not fair! **IT'S JUST NOT FAIR!"**

"I know it's not, honey. But we just have to remember that Jaden's in a better place now. He's free from the horrible things that happen in this world. We just need to remember that, and honor his memory." Roy said.

Anna sniffled as she attempted to dry her tears. That's when something caught the mourning couple's attention.

A ball of light was descending down into Anna's lap. The woman was shocked by this, but she instinctively used her arms to provide ample support to it.

"Wha… what is this…?" Anna asked to no one in particular.

Suddenly, the light began to die down and reveal something that shocked both parents to their core. It was a newborn baby boy! He had dark skin like someone who lived in Africa, a tuft of scraggly black hair on his head, and he was swaddled in an auburn colored blanket.

At first, panic began to overtake the couple as they thought that the child might be dead. But they both breathed a sigh of relief when they heard a light snoring coming from the small child. But this still led to one question that formed in the minds of both parents.

Where did he come from?

"This doesn't make any sense." Roy said. "Babies don't just come out of nowhere. There HAS to be a logical explanation for this!"

But Anna wasn't really listening. She was too busy staring at the little bundle of joy currently held in her arms. True, her son Jaden can never be replaced, but Anna could already feel a strong connection with this little guy. A connection that only a mother and her child could ever have.

" _But how could this happen? I haven't known this child for so much as five minutes, and yet…"_

Anna was broken from her thoughts when the baby in her arms yawned and opened his eyes. She gasped as she saw that they were as red as the purest rubies. The little boy smiled and snuggled up to her before falling back asleep.

Anna smiled at this action, and felt as though this child really did belong with her. She kissed the child on the forehead, and made her decision right there.

"Roy," she said to her husband.

"Hm?" he inquired.

"Let's adopt this baby."

Roy looked at his wife in shock and surprise.

"What? Not that i don't want the little guy to grow up with love and affection, but why?" Roy asked.

"Call me crazy, but I feel like we were given this little one for a reason. Plus, I can feel a connection to the little guy. I want to raise him, and give him all of the love that we couldn't give to Jaden…"

Anna started to cry by the end of her explanation, but managed to stay strong for the little one in her arms. Roy wrapped an arm around her, and stroked the little boy's cheek with his finger.

"I understand. If you want to make this boy our child, then by gosh and golly, we'll raise him as if he were our own!" Roy declared. "Now, there's just the matter of naming him."

Anna looked at her son closely, and knew that she wanted to give him a name that tied into his African heritage.

" _He truly is an unforeseen blessing to us. Wait a minute…"_

An idea quickly struck Anna like a weak Duel Monster being hit by a Dark Magic Attack.

"Roy, what's the Swahili word for blessing?" Anna asked.

The man seemed to understand where his wife was going with this, and smiled as he said a single word.

"Baraka."

Anna smiled once again, and cradled her new son close to her.

"Welcome to the family, Baraka Yuki."

* * *

 _ *****To Be Continued…?*****_

* * *

 _ **Well, there we go. If I can get at LEAST three reviews for this chapter, then I'll continue the story. Also, I'll post a deck type poll for later should it happen. Also, as for Nuka's name being changed, that's because his new parents truly see him as a blessing, hence the name Baraka; which translates to blessing in Swahili. (At least, according to Google translate.)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**This chapter is just a little insight into Baraka's (Nuka's) childhood. The poll for his deck is still up, so be sure to vote! Now, on with the show!**_

 _ *****You know the drill. I still don't own the Lion King, or Yu-Gi-Oh GX!*****_

* * *

 _ **A Day with Dad**_

* * *

The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon of Domino City, marking the beginning of a brand new day even after a full five years. The early birds would surely be getting up at this time, but the night owls would be getting ready to go to sleep so they could work at night. And those who had the day off would most likely be sleeping in. And in the Yuki household, it's no exception.

Anna and Roy were fast asleep, and Roy had a few bags under his eyes from having had to work late the previous night. Thankfully, his boss had given him a couple months of paid vacation time which was just starting. Anna used to have a job as a lawyer, but that ended when Baraka came into the Yuki family's life.

Speaking of…

"Dad? Daaad!" called a little boy's voice.

Baraka has grown into a fine young five year old boy. He is the right height for his age, and his black hair has grown out while keeping a mildly scraggly look. He was still in his pajamas, and was now trying to wake his dad up so they could go out and see Seto Kaiba's big announcement. An announcement that had to do with the winner of a big Duel Monsters card design contest.

Baraka had entered after creating a deck of cards of his own, all hand drawn, and he had the deck sent in for his entry. The winning deck would be sent into space in order to be exposed to a special kind of radiation that would help them. Baraka didn't really understand all of the details, but he understood enough to know that it was important.

And now, here he is, trying to wake up his dad so they could go and find out who won. The winner was also required to be there in person to see their cards be sent into space.

"Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, daaaaad!"

"Your son is awake." Anna whispered tiredly.

"Before seven a.m., he's YOUR son." Roy fired back.

"Come on, dad, we gotta go!" Baraka urged.

The boy grabbed his dad's arm, and tried to pull him out of bed, but only succeeded in flinging himself back. Finally, he had enough, and managed to jump up onto his dad after a running start. Roy was certainly jostled awake by this.

"You promised!" Baraka said.

Roy looked at his son and immediately remembered. He did indeed promise to get him to the big event on time, and he intended to keep that promise.

"Okay, okay. I'm up, I'm up." Roy said.

Baraka cheered and leapt off the bed, while his father sat up with a big yawn.

It didn't take long for either Baraka or Roy to get dressed for the day, but they decided to let Anna sleep in. She tended to occupy her time with house work and working on new recipes for the family to try. And both men in her life loved every one of them. But Baraka certainly surprised both of his parents by the fact that he loved not only meat, but also always ate his vegetables. Something most kids his age NEVER do!

But back on topic, Baraka and Roy were making pretty good time in getting to the area where the announcement would be taking place. So, being the curious young boy that he is, Baraka decided to start asking his dad a few simple questions.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, son?"

"Why does mister Kaiba look so grumpy all the time?" Baraka asked.

Roy chuckled a bit at his son's question.

"Sometimes, I ask myself the same question. But my guess is that it has something to do with running such a big company like Kaiba Corp. It can be a very tiring job, and leaves mister Kaiba with very little, if any, time to play Duel Monsters." Roy explained.

"Can I become a duelist like mister Kaiba, dad?" Baraka asked.

"Sure. Anyone can become a tournament duelist. And who knows? Maybe someday you'll even end up in the pro leagues." Roy replied.

"Dad?"

"Yeah?"

"What do you do?" asked an ever curious Baraka.

"Oh! Well, you see, I work in the law enforcement agency. I'm a private investigator." Roy replied.

It wasn't long before father and son made it to the area where the announcement was being made. And there to send the lucky cards into space was Seto Kaiba himself.

"Ladies and gentlemen, duelists of all ages, thank you for coming to this monumentous occasion! As you all know, several people of various ages entered a competition to design a deck of Duel Monster cards. The winner of this competition would have their entry turned into a deck of real cards, which will then be sent out into the deep reaches of space." Kaiba said, gesturing to a nearby satellite.

The satellite was small, and the interior was designed specifically to protect the cargo within it.

"Once there, those cards will be hit by a special, harmless type of radiation that will make the monsters within much stronger. And after one year's exposure to this radiation, the cards will be brought back to Earth and given to their creator. Now, without further delay, I shall announce the winner of the competition! Mokuba, the envelope, please."

Kaiba's younger brother walked up, and handed Kaiba the envelope containing the name of the winner. The elder Kaiba brother flipped open the top flap, and pulled out the small card containing the name of the winner.

"And the winner of the Kaiba Corporation Card Design Contest is… Baraka Yuki! Come on up here, Baraka!"

As the crowd began cheering, Baraka ran up to the stage in pure excitement. This was the first competition that he had ever entered in his life, and to have won that made it all the sweeter.

Once on stage, Baraka was handed a deck of Duel Monster cards and guided over to the satellite.

"Care to do the honors, Baraka?" Kaiba asked.

"Yes sir! Thank you, sir!" Baraka replied.

Slowly and carefully, the young boy placed the cards into the compartment of the satellite where they would rest for a full year until they returned to Earth. If only Baraka knew that these cards would one day become his spirit companions, and help him win many duels.

* * *

 _ *****To Be Continued…*****_

* * *

 _ **Current Poll Results:**_

 _ **Neo-Spacian Deck; 5 votes**_

 _ **Yubel Deck; 3 votes**_

 _ **Elemental HERO Deck; 2**_

 _ **Remember to keep voting, peoples! I've already made an E-HERO Deck that I think would work perfectly for Nuka, but I'd still like to hear your votes. I'm also accepting any votes that are sent in reviews!**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Quick AN: I know I said I was going to use either an Elemental HERO deck or a Neo-Spacian deck for this story, but LegionnaireBlaze helped me create a much better deck for Baraka. Now, with no further delay…**_

 _ **It's time to D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-D-DUEL!**_

 _ *****I still don't own The Lion King, or Yu-Gi-Oh GX!*****_

* * *

 _ **Family Time before the Duel**_

* * *

It's been ten years since Baraka first sent his deck out into space, and he's become a great duelist since then. Thanks to his dad letting him borrow his Elemental HERO deck, Baraka has learned just about everything there is to know about playing Duel Monsters. And a year after his cards were sent into space, he got them back and became a very well known duelist because of them.

Kaiba and Pegasus had appropriately gave the cards that Baraka created their own archetype. An archetype known as Prideland.

As a result, Baraka became well known throughout the Duel Monsters community as the King of the Pridelands. And for a good reason, too. The way he dueled, it gave him this form of regality that made him seem almost like a king.

And now, we join the Yuki family on a nice, quiet Saturday afternoon. The three of them were sitting at the table enjoying dinner, all the while discussing Baraka's upcoming admission duel into the esteemed Duel Academy.

"This is a real big step for you, son. Are you nervous?" Roy asked.

Baraka has really grown from the small child he once was. His black hair had grown out even more until it reached past his shoulder blades, and he'd also bulked up considerably. His muscles were large, but they were also lean and compact. He was currently wearing a black muscle shirt that hugged his body like a second skin, a pair of cargo pants, and since he was currently indoors he was wearing his favorite blue slippers.

Baraka gained a nostalgic look in his eyes as he pulled a card from his deck case.

"To be honest, no. I've been looking forward to the day I join the ranks of Duel Academy for a long time. Ever since I got my deck." Baraka replied.

He smiled fondly at the card in his hand. It's helped Baraka win more duels than he can count, and it has bonded with his heart. He didn't know if it was that spatial radiation that did it, but it almost felt as though the monster on the card in his hand was alive.

"Well, you certainly have a much better chance at getting into Duel Academy than most other kids your age." Anna said, taking a bite out of her dinner. "You're only fifteen, and you're already a very well-known duelist. I just know you're going to make us very proud, Baraka."

"Thanks, mom." said a smiling Baraka.

The rest of the evening was uneventful, to say the least. Mostly, it was just spent watching a few episodes of Lost Tapes. Baraka soon went to bed, dreaming of the day that he became the next King of Games with his monsters by his side.

* * *

 _ *****Early the Next Day…*****_

* * *

Baraka was sleeping soundly as he dreamed of many possible adventures that he might have while at Duel Academy. And by his side in each one was a mysterious girl who was undoubtedly the girl of his dreams. Literally. He couldn't see her face in his dreams, but he could see enough to know that she was an Obelisk Blue student.

"CANNONBALL!" cried a small voice.

Baraka woke up when he felt a small weight land on his chest. He bolted upright to see the little troublemaker that woke him up.

It was a smiling little girl who looked to be about four years old. She had brown eyes, dual toned brown hair that was currently in twin pigtails, and light skin. She was wearing pink footie pajamas and holding a small black teddy bear with buttons for eyes in her left hand.

"Wake up, big brother! It's time for your duel!" she said excitedly.

"My duel…?" asked a tired Baraka.

His eyes suddenly sprung open faster than anyone thought could be humanly possible as he gasped in a mix of shock and horror.

"OH MY GOSH, MY DUEL! Julie, why didn't anyone wake me up sooner!?"

Yup. That is Julie Yuki, Baraka's little sister. You see, When Baraka turned ten, his parents thought that he was a bit lonely, due to being an only child. So, after much talking and planning, Anna and Roy decided to try for a second child.

During her pregnancy, Anna faced much emotional pain and a great deal of worry. She feared that Julie might be stillborn just like Jaden was, but when she held her new daughter for the first time after birth, all of her worries and fears melted away.

But perhaps we should get back on topic. Baraka leapt out of bed and started rushing to get changed. After having his little sister turn around of course.

"What's all the hullabaloo?" Roy asked, having been woken up by the commotion.

"I gotta get to the Kaiba Dome, dad! My entrance exam is-"

As Roy listened to his panicking son, he checked his alarm clock and was surprised by what he saw.

"It's only four o'clock!" exclaimed Roy.

That little tidbit certainly stopped Baraka in his tracks.

"It is?" Baraka asked.

"Yes, it is. Why is everyone even up this early?" replied a still sleepy Anna.

"Don't look at me, ask the little girl who woke me up by cannonballing on my bed." Baraka replied.

Julie just gave a big grin to her big brother, and Baraka couldn't help but grin back, showing his slightly longer than normal canine teeth. Of course, he knew why Julie woke him up so early. She wanted to watch her big brother duel and be accepted into Duel Academy. It was always refreshing to know that his little sister loved the game as much as he does.

"I understand your excitement, Julie, but my entrance exam and the big duel aren't for another four and a half hours now. Why don't you go go back to sleep, and I'll get you up in about three hours from now. Okay?" Baraka said.

"Okay." Julie replied with a yawn.

Baraka picked up his sister and carried the tired little girl back to her room. Roy couldn't help but smile as he watched his son tucked Julie into bed. When Julie was born, he felt that Baraka might feel a bit left out due to his sister getting most of the attention. But as time went on, the young man proved to be a very kind and very patient big brother. He and his sister were almost inseparable.

Roy's little trip down memory lane was cut short when he let out a big yawn. He decided to go back to sleep while the gettin was good. After all, this year, the staff at Duel Academy was allowing the parents of the applying students to watch their children's duels.

" _And what a duel it is sure to be."_ Roy thought to himself.

As the father of two children got back under the covers and snuggled up with his wife, his smile only grew as he heard the interaction between his two children.

"Tell me a story, big brother."

"Okay, kiddo. What kind of story would you like?" Baraka asked.

"One about the funny kitty cat and the gassy piggy!" Julie replied eagerly.

Baraka chuckled at that request. He knew she was talking about two of his monster cards. The boy would make up stories that starred the monsters on his cards; stories that entertained his baby sister to no end.

"They're actually a Meerkat and a Warthog, Julie, but okay. Now, once upon a time…"

* * *

 _ **Sorry it's not a duel in this chapter, but I felt the need to show you a bit more of Baraka's (Nuka's) family life. But I assure you, next chapter will definitely have the big duel in which I introduce the cards Baraka's deck type. Don't forget to vote on the poll I posted!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Hello, mighty readers! I'd like to thank everyone who reads and reviews on my stories. These reviews and PMs have made it possible for me to create my stories. Some have been great… and some were not so great. But I'd also like to give a big shout out to LegionnaireBlaze for helping me with constructing Nuka's deck.**_

 _ *****I still don't own The Lion King, or Yu-Gi-Oh GX!*****_

* * *

 _ **Lions of the Pride vs. Ancient Machines**_

* * *

After getting everyone ready for the big day, the Yuki family drove off for the Kaiba Dome for Baraka's big entrance duel. Baraka was going over a few possible strategies to use in this duel, and he already knew that with his deck, there's no way he could lose! Especially since his family was going to be right there to support him.

"Okay, I think I've got my strategy, my backup strategy, and my backup backup strategy all figured out. Now, I just need to ace my duel, and WHAMMO; I'm a student at Duel Academy!" said Baraka.

"Boy, I wish I had your confidence when I was your age." Anna sighed.

"You and me both, dear." Roy added.

Julie wasn't really paying attention. She was too busy playing with her teddy bear to listen to what the grown ups were talking about. She was bouncing with excitement in her seat as they drove to the Kaiba Dome, wanting to watch her brother duel with his real deck.

Even Baraka was plenty excited. He was finally going to get to show off his true power as a duelist. And when he did, everyone would learn not to mess with him like they've tried to do in the past. Because this lion is not going down so easily!

It took about fifteen minutes, but they finally made it to the Kaiba Dome. They walked up to the reception desk and got checked in before walking into the arena where the entrance duels were being held. Once there, Baraka took a seat next to a vertically challenged boy with a blue blazer and saw an interesting sight. It was a boy with black hair wearing a white blazer taking his entrance duel.

The boy had 4000 life points and a Vorse Raider on the field, while his opponent had 1900 remaining Life Points and three monsters each with variable attack and defense points.

"Okay, freshman. Pop quiz time. You have three monsters staring you down and two facedowns. Which of the following do you do? Do you do A) Throw in the towel? B) Attack hoping that I don't activate my facedowns? Or C) Run home to momma?" the tester asked with in a snide tone.

"I chose D) none of the above!" The boy shouted. "Go facedown trap! Ring of Destruction!"

As the ring appeared it wrapped itself around the Vorse Raider and blew up. The tester brought his arm up to shield from the debris as his life points plummeted to zero. The black haired boy smiled as his disk deactivated.

"Congratulations, you have been accepted into Duel Academy." The tester said.

"Thank you." Black hair said.

"That guy is pretty good, huh Chazz?" a boy with wavy blue hair and glasses asked.

"He's a punk." The person in the middle called Chazz scoffed. "We went to Duel prep school for the past three years. We're ready for the Academy. These kids don't know what they're getting into. But they'll learn… the hard way, the Chazz Princeton way."

" _Chazz Princeton, huh? I don't know what it is about him, but he really reminds me of someone. I just can't figure out who."_ Baraka thought to himself.

"That's Chazz, someone who went through Dueling Prep School. He's really good. Possibly the best in the school." the blue haired boy explained.

"Aw, I'm sure he's not as tough as he thinks." Baraka said dismissively. "It's arrogance like THAT that is often the downfall of even the most powerful of warriors. Name's Baraka, by the way."

"Syrus. Syrus Truesdale." the boy replied as they shook hands.

Right below them, in the VIP seats for Academy faculty members and important guests, a few teachers were talking about these new students.

"Looks like we've got a pretty good crop this year." One of the teachers said.

"Yes, indeed." Another teacher agreed.

Also right next to them, another teacher sat there silent not paying attention to the other teachers' talk. He's male, but could easily be mistaken as a woman if you didn't know who he was. He wore a blue blazer similar to Chazz but had some gold shoulder plates and trimmings along with a ruffled pink collar. He also had his blonde hair in a ponytail and wore makeup. This was Dr. Vellian Crowler, headmaster of the Obelisk Blue Boys Dorm.

" _Another rookie for the Academy."_ he thought dismissively. " _I'm just glad that this was the last duel, otherwise there could be more slackers coming in, too."_

He was about to get up and leave when…

"I'm sorry to interrupt." A man in a black, business suit appeared stopping Crowler from leaving. "But one last applicant has arrived to take his exam, Mr. Crowler."

"Excuse me? Did you just call me, 'mister'?" Crowler scowled.

"I'm sorry. I'm new here Miss…"

"I have a Ph.D. in dueling to earn the title 'Doctor' thank you!" Crowler snapped a bit. He then looked away. "Now tell the truant that he'll have to come back next year."

The other teachers looked at him like he lost his mind.

"Come on, Dr. Crowler, we have time for one more."

"Yes, let's give this duelist his shot."

"He was just a bit late, that's all."

"LATE IS RUDE!" Crowler finally snapped. He slammed his hands down, freaking out the other people around him. "I HAVE NO TIME FOR SLACKERS!" Just then his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it "WHAT!?"

 _"It's Sheppard."_

"Oh, Chancellor Sheppard, how nice of you to call." Crowler said, suddenly changing his angry tone to a pleasant one.

 _"Just calling to make sure everything is running smoothly."_ Chancellor Sheppard said. _"We wouldn't want a repeat of what happened last year."_

That made Crowler bug out a bit.

 _"When you cut a third of our student applicants because someone called you 'Mr.' or 'Mrs.'? Never mind, just make sure everyone gets a fair shot!"_

"Yes, o... of course, sir." Crowler said as he hung up scowling. " _Furry–chinned windbag; doesn't he realize that there are enough talentless flunkies at this Academy? But he's the boss, and if he wants to give this scrim shaker a duel…fine."_

He then got up from his seat. "Pardon me, gentlemen, I'll be right back." He said then starting walking away.

"But sir, who will be the boy's dueling proctor? And which exam deck should we use?"

Crowler just huffed and walked away.

"Leave that to me." He pulled out a deck from inside his blazer, grinning evilly.

Back with Baraka and the others, Julie was fidgeting quite a bit in her seat. She wasn't well known for her ability to wait, so she was getting bored pretty fast. Roy noticed this and decided to take care of this.

"Julie? What's the matter, sweetheart?" Roy asked.

"I just can't wait for big brother to duel! I wanna see him duel!" Julie replied, flailing her arms a bit.

"Whoa, easy there, Jules! I'll get my turn soon enough." Baraka assured.

"Really? I was unaware that there were any more applicants." said a new voice.

The Yuki family and Syrus looked to see the black haired boy from before walking up to them.

"Well, there are. I think I'm the last one. I'm Baraka."

"Bastion Misawa is my name. Good to meet you." he said. "But I was under the impression that my duel was the last one."

He was immediately proven wrong when the P.A. system went off.

 **"Baraka Yuki, please report to Dueling Field #4. Baraka Yuki, to Dueling Field #4."**

"That's me. I'd better get a move on." Baraka said.

"Good luck, m'boy!" Roy said, hugging his son.

"Show them who the alpha lion is!" Anna added.

"Beat 'em good!" Julie cheered.

Baraka just chuckled and nodded in affirmative and walked down to the field.

On the field, Dr. Crowler was being prepped and ready to Duel. The duel disk he was equipped with looked as though it was crafted into his blazer. The part that held his graveyard and deck slots was strapped to his chest, while the duel tray looked as though it was being held up like a guitar. In fact, the duel tray itself looked almost like a rock guitar itself. Baraka rose up from a platform and was on the duel field. The reincarnated lion was shocked at what he saw, not sure if it was a man or a woman

"Alright, test time!" Crowler snapped as it looking at Baraka. "So, what's your name, son?"

"Uh, Baraka. Baraka Yuki."

"Well "Baraka Yuki", I'm Doctor Vellian Crowler, Department Chair, Head of the Obelisk Blue Male Dorm and Techniques Professor here at Duel Academy."

"Wow, a Department Chair, huh? That's a relief. For a minute there, I thought you were a mascot like majorette, or something." Baraka said, making Crowler grit his teeth.

"Now that he mentions it..." The boy wearing glasses next to Chazz said.

"This guy's got some lip, huh Chazz?" The other said.

Chazz just looked on as he didn't like what Baraka was saying to Dr. Crowler.

"Duel Vest On!" Crowler snapped activating it and drew his five cards.

Baraka was just amazed by the machinery. After all, he used to help at an auto mechanic's shop.

"Hey, that's some sweet gear, teach. How do I get one of those?" Baraka asked.

"Oh, a lot of hard work, high marks and dedication." Crowler answered. " _Of course, you have to be accepted first. Which I will make sure you don't."_

"Well, I'm ready!" Baraka declared, activating his Duel Disk

"Let's Duel!" the man-woman yelled.

" **Get your game on!"** Baraka yelled.

 _ **(Baraka: 4000)**_

 _ **(Crowler: 4000)**_

High up in the stadium where two Obelisk Blue's, one male and one female. The male was in the white variant of the male uniform while the girl was in the normal female uniform, a white and blue blazer, blue mini-skirt and blue high-heels she was also wearing light blue Dueling gloves. The guy had dark blue hair and grey eyes while the girl had long blonde hair and blue eyes

"Man, this kid must be really good or done something to really piss off Crowler for him to duel him, huh Zane?" the girl asked.

"Maybe Alexis, I'm just hoping that the kid might be able to keep up and possibly be a worthy opponent." the dark blue haired man replied with his neutral face.

"I'll start us off!" Baraka said, drawing a card. "And I think I'll start by activating the Field Spell known as No Worries Oasis!"

Baraka placed the card into his Field Spell zone, and something amazing happened. The whole field erupted into a lush forest filled with greenery and fresh water. You could hear the sounds of various wildlife in the area.

"What is this?" Crowler asked.

"No Worries Oasis. Now, with this on the field, Battle Hog Pumba, Tactics Master Timon, and any monsters with the word Simba in their name can't be destroyed by battle. Although, the battle damage is still applied normally." Baraka explained. "Next, I'll summon my Battle Hog Pumbaa to the field in Attack Mode!"

He played his card, and a monster appeared on the field. But it certainly wasn't one that anyone in the audience besides Baraka's family had seen before. This monster had the appearance of a Warthog with red skin, a black mane that was like a mohawk, and two tusks that curved upwards. He was wearing armor made from stone, and snorted as he set his sights on Crowler.

 _ **(Battle Hog Pumbaa: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 4/ ATK; 1500/ DEF; 1000)**_

"What sort of monster is that?" Crowler asked incredulously. "I've never seen anything like it."

"That's because he's a one of a kind monster. In fact, my whole deck is a one of a kind." said a smirking Baraka. "Now, I activate the Spell Card known as Call of the Meerkat! This lets me special summon one Tactics Master Timon from my hand, deck, or Graveyard!"

Now a new monster appeared on Baraka's field. This one was a tan colored Meerkat with a tuft of orange hair on his head. He was wearing Swahili warrior battle garb, and was holding a spear.

 _ **(Tactics Master Timon: Beast/ EARTH/ Level 4/ Atk; 1600/ Def; 1050)**_

"Okay, Pumbaa, it looks like it's time for us to go to work." Timon said to his warthog friend.

Although only Baraka could hear them.

"Yeah. And remember, we need to hold this guy off until Baraka knows his playing style." Pumbaa reminded.

"Right."

"And now that I have both Timon and Pumba on the field, their special abilities kick in! Since they're both on the field, they both gain an attack point bonus of 900 points for Timon, and Pumba gets 1000 points!"

 _ **(Tactics Master Timon: Beast/ EARTH/ Level 4/ ATK; 1600 + 900 = 2500/ DEF; 1050)**_

 _ **(Battle Hog Pumbaa: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 4/ ATK; 1500 + 1000 = 2500/ DEF; 1000)**_

"That ends my turn. Show me what you got, teach!"

"Very well." Crowler said before mumbling "I thought he'd never be done." under his breath.

A card was ejected from his Duel Vest, and he added it to his hand. Crowler smirked his creepy and extremely cruel smirk when he saw that he had every card he needed right in his hand.

" _I'll admit that this slacker has some skills, but as I AM using my personal deck, He won't last two more turns against me."_

"I begin by placing two cards facedown,"

Two cards appeared on Crowler's field.

"And now, I'll activate the Spell Card, Heavy Storm! This card will use its gale force winds to destroy all spell and trap cards on the field!" declared Crowler.

No sooner than that did huge winds kick up, forcing Baraka to shield himself from the debris. Even Timon and Pumbaa were forced to brace themselves as the field spell was destroyed along with Crowler's two facedowns.

"HANG ON, TIMON!"

"I'M TRYING, PUMBA!"

When the winds died down, Baraka's confidence returned en masse.

"Too bad you just destroyed your own traps. Now you've got no way to defend yourself!" Baraka said.

But the Obelisk headmaster didn't seem too worried.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that, slacker, because those two trap cards were copies of Statue of the Wicked. And since I destroyed them, I get two Wicked Tokens! One for each copy!" Crowler explained.

As Crowler finished his little bragging spree, two hideous looking serpentine creatures appeared on his field.

 _ **(Wicked Fiend Token: Fiend-Type/ DARK/ Level 4/ ATK; 1000/ DEF; 1000)**_

"Crowler must be using his own deck instead of one of the training decks for this duel." the boy with glasses theorized.

"Then this duel is over. No one can beat the deck of an expert like Dr. Crowler." The other boy said.

Chazz just smirked as he saw this newbie about to be put in his place.

"What an elitist snob!" Alexis said. "Bullying some kid with his very best cards!"

"You're too soft, Alexis." Zane spoke up. "I just hope we get to see that legendary rare card Crowler had stashed in that deck of his."

Baraka was scowling at this. He's seen enough of these tricks to know when an enemy was gonna use their tokens to summon a high level monster. And right now, he doesn't have all the pieces he needs to win.

" _Not good…"_ Baraka mentally groaned.

"And now, I tribute my two tokens so I can summon the mighty Ancient Gear Golem!" Crowler finished as he raised his hand to the sky.

The two tokens exploded into a pillar of light which faded to reveal a giant man made out of old rusted metals and gears, coloured a deep rusted brown with giant clawed hands and a single red eye shining from under it's spartan-like helmet.

 _ **(Ancient Gear Golem: Machine-Type/ Effect/ EARTH/ Level 8/ ATK; 3000/ DEF; 3000)**_

"That's it! That's his legendary card!" Alexis gasped "The Ancient Gear Golem!"

"Now it looks like we're about to find out what makes it so legendary." Zane added.

"Now, now, I hope you're not too scared of my legendary Ancient Gear Golem." Crowler said sarcastically towards Baraka.

But Baraka didn't seem scared at all. In fact, he looked pretty happy.

"Are you kidding me? I've always wanted to fight a card like that! Now I'll get to see just what makes it so powerful!" Baraka exclaimed.

Despite the fact that he couldn't instill a sense of fear into this applicant, Crowler had to admit, the boy had spirit.

"I admire your commitment." Crowler commented. "But now, you should say goodbye to your Meerkat, because he's the target of my attack! ANCIENT GEAR GOLEM, DESTROY HIS MEERKAT WITH MECHANISED MÊLÉE!"

The gargantuan robot reared back its fist as its eye began to glow an eerie red color. It launched its fist and destroyed Timon with a single strike, forcing Baraka to shield himself from the backlash.

 _ **(Baraka: 4000 - 500 = 3500)**_

Baraka winced not just from his Life Points being lowered, but because without Tactics Master Timon on the field, Pumba loses his power boost.

 _ **(Battle Hog Pumba: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 4/ ATK; 2500 - 1000 = 1500/ DEF; 1000)**_

"And with your monster destroyed, I end my turn." Crowler said.

Wordlessly, Baraka drew his next card. He looked at it and saw that it was just the card he needed to get rid of that golem.

"Yes! Ready to meet the king of my deck, Crowler? I start this turn off by summoning Zazu, Adviser to the King in attack mode!" Baraka said.

His field hummed to life as a new monster appeared on his field. This one was a hornbill with brilliant blue and white feathers, a fiery orange beak, and armor that looked to be made of deer skin and bones.

 _ **(Zazu, Adviser to the King: Winged Beast-Type/ WIND/ Level 4/ ATK; 500/ DEF; 500)**_

While this monster certainly looked majestic in his own right, Crowler certainly wasn't at all impressed.

"You call that pitiful monster a king? That banana beak couldn't fight it's way out of a paper bag!" Crowler mocked.

"That's MISTER banana beak to you, he-she-thing!" replied an angry Zazu.

"And he's not strong because of his attack power. It's because of his special ability! Since I was able to summon him, I'm allowed to summon the king directly from my hand or deck!" Baraka declared.

A card was ejected from his deck, and he played it in his monster card zone.

"Everyone prepare to kneel before the King of the Pridelands, Mufasa!"

In a flash of light, a huge male lion with golden fur and a dark red mane appeared on the field. He was massive and highly muscular, and his teeth and claws looked like they could tear through anything. He let out a roar that was so loud, it caused the whole room to shake and forced several people to cover their ears.

 _ **(King of the Pridelands Mufasa: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 12/ ATK; 3800/ DEF! 2800)**_

Now it was Crowler's turn to be scared. This monster was a lot stronger than his own, and he looked pretty darn angry. It certainly wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for Crowler.

"Now, Mufasa, destroy his Ancient Gear Golem!" Baraka ordered.

Mufasa roared and pounced at the metal soldier. And with a mighty swipe of his paw, he reduced the Ancient Gear Golem to a pile of scrap fit for the local recycling plant. It also took a decent sized chunk out of the guy's Life Points.

 _ **(Crowler: 4000 - 800 = 3200)**_

"And now, Battle Hog Pumba and Zazu, Adviser to the King will attack you directly!"

"Oh great, now you're sending the bird and the pig after me." Crowler said, bracing himself for the attack.

"Are you talking to me?" Pumba asked in a low voice.

"Oh dear. He called him a pig!" Zazu muttered.

"Are you talking to me?" Pumba asked slightly louder.

"You shouldn't have done that…" trailed off Zazu.

"Are YOU talking to ME?" Pumba asked for the final time.

"Now he's in for it!" Zazu said.

"They call me MISTER PIG! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

With that, Pumba charged at Crowler, and proceeded to beat the snot out of him. Zazu got in his attacks, and many of the spectators cringed and looked away. By the end of the attack, Crowler was covered in bumps and bruises.

"Oh, and did I forget to mention that when Battle Hog Pumba attacks, he gains an additional 700 attack points during the damage step only? Well, he does!" Baraka bragged.

 _ **(Crowler: 3200 - 2600 = 600)**_

"Ugh. For mindless animals, those things sure pack a wallop…" groaned Crowler.

"They're not just mindless animals! But I won't dwell on that. I end my turn with one card facedown." Baraka said as a card materialized on his field.

Crowler just scowled as he was being made a complete fool of. He drew a new card and inwardly cursed his luck. It was nothing he could use. In fact, he didn't have anything he could use here.

" _I'll get that slacker someday. But for now, I have no choice but to do this…"_

"I surrender. There isn't a card in my deck that can stop that monstrosity." Crowler said.

As the holograms disappeared, the crowd erupted into cheers while Baraka pumped his fist into the air.

"This is sure to be an interesting year, isn't it?" Alexis asked.

"It certainly will be." Zane replied.

* * *

 _ *****To Be Continued…*****_

* * *

 _ **Card Index:**_

 _ **Call of the Meerkat (Quick-Play Spell) Effect: Special summon one Tactics Master Timon from your hand, deck, or Graveyard.**_

 _ **No Worries Oasis: Spell/ Field/ Effect: While this card is on the field, Battle Hog Pumbaa, Tactics Master Timon, and all monsters with Simba in their name cannot be destroyed by battle.**_

 _ **(Battle Hog Pumbaa: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 4/ Atk;1500/ Def; 1000/effect: This card gains 1000 attack when "Tactics Master Timon" is on the field. When this monster attacks, it gains 700 attack points during the damage step only.**_

 _ **(Tactics Master Timon: Beast/ EARTH/ Level 4/ Atk; 1600/ Def; 1050) Effect: This card gains 900 attack when "Battle Hog Pumbaa" is on the field. When one of the monsters you control attacks, the opponent's monsters loses 700 attack.**_

 _ **(King of the Pridelands Mufasa: Beast-Type/ EARTH/ Level 12/ ATK; 3800/ DEF! 2800)  
Effect: Cannot be normal summoned or set. Must be special summoned by the effect of Zazu: Advisor to the King. Once per turn, when an opponent activates a spell or trap card that targets this card, negate and destroy that spell/trap.**_


End file.
